Valve operating mechanism



July 22, 1941. B. o. GRAHAM VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Filed March 31, 1941 INVENTOR.

BENJAMIN O. GRAH AM ATTORNEY Patented July 22, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Benjamin 0. Graham, StQLouis, M; Application March 31, 1941, Serial No. 386,104

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to flush tanks. More particularly, my invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in valve-operating mechanisms for flush tanks and the like and has for its primary object the provision of mechanism of the type stated in which the actuating-crank may be readily and easily rotarily shifted in either direction for operating the valve,

which provides an increased leverage mechanism uniquely fulcrumed for avoiding dead-center locking and minimizing wear, corrosion, and other undesirable effects during use, which is simple and inexpensive in construction and may be conveniently and simply installed in any standard flush tank, and which is highly satisfactory in the performance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in View, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a toilet flush tank equipped with valve-operating mechanism constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the tank wall, showing the valve-operating mechanism thereof in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the valve-operating mechanism taken approximately along the line 3-3, Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic View, illustrating the valve-operating mechanism in its several valve actuating positions.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates my invention in preferred form, A designates a toilet flush tank of any suitable or standard form and which includes a front wall I and a bottom wall 2, the latter being conventionally provided with an over-flow pipe 3 and an outlet or flush pipe 4, normally seated in the latter of which is a ball valve 5 provided with an upstanding stem 6.

Suitably formed preferably in the upper lefthand corner-portion of the tank wall I, is a rectangular or out-of-round aperture 1, snugly seated in which is a correspondingly shaped ringportion 8 of a preferably cast bronze fitting 9 disposed against the inner face of the tank wall I and having a laterally extending arm Ill provided at its outer extremity with an angular projection or fulcrum II presented inwardly of the tank A.

The'fitting 9 is also provided with a downwardly offset stop-lug I2 presented inwardly of the tank A and co-axially with reference to the ring 8 has an annular bore I3 for loosely accommodating a concentric tubular bushing I4 formed on its outer end with a diametral enlargement I5 for completely covering the aperture I and snugly engaging the front or cute! face of the tank wall I.

On its inner end, the bushing I4 is threaded for receiving a locking-nut I6 for securingly engaging the outwardly presented face of the fitting 9, all as best seen in Figure 3 and for purposes presently fully appearing.

Journaled in and extending axially through the bushing I4, is a shaft I1 provided preferably integrally upon its inner end with a radially extending crank arm I8, and pivotally attached at an end, as by means of a pivot-pin I 9, to the outer end of the arm I8, is a flat lever 20 formed longitudinally intermediate its ends with a closed-end slot 2| of suitable length for free working engagement with a pivot-screw 22 mounted in the fulcrum II.

At its other end, the lever 20 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 23 for adjustable connection with a link 24, in turn, conventionally connected to the stem 6 of the float-ball 5.

In this connection, it should also be noted that between the apertures 23 and the slot 21 the lever 20 may be suitably formed or bent, as at 25, so that the valve-operating mechanism may be easily and conveniently installed in flush tanks in which the overflow pipe and float-ball are located in any one of a wide range of different positions. In the present instance, as shown in Figure 1, the lever 20 has been gently bent arcuately to clear the overflow pipe 3 and conveniently engage the valve stem actuating link 24.

Fixed, as by means of a set-screw or the like 26, on the outer end of the shaft I1, is a conventional crank 21, and in operating the valve mechanism, the crank 21 is rocked either to the right or to the left, as may be desired, for swinging the arm I8 either in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction until the latter strikes against the stop-lug I2. Such swinging movement of the arm I8 simultaneously shifts the lever 20 lengthwise along the pivot-pin 22 and rocks the outer end thereof upwardly for raising the ball valve 5, the arm I8 coming to rest in either one or the other of its extreme positions shown in Figure 4.

As will be observed, the pivot-pin 22 is positioned on the wall I somewhat above the axis of the shaft l1, with the result that it is impossible for the operating mechanism to become locked in a dead-oenter position. In addition, the valve-operating mechanism of my present invention, through and by reason largely of the slotted fulcrum connection between the lever 20 and pin 22, is free to move immediately upon actuation of the crank 21, thus eliminating any lag in operation due to friction, inertia, or similar forces. Likewise, when the crank 21 is released, the lever 20 will immediately move away from its extreme position Without any tendency to' jam 1 or stick. Finally, the valve-operating mechanism of my present invention is extremely simple and economical in construction and operation and, inasmuch as any extensive series of hinged links is omitted, the diificulty of corrosion is substantially eliminated.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the valve-operating mechanism may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fiush' tank valve-operating mechanism including, in combination, a fitting adapted for mounting upon a wall of the tank, an actuating member journaled on the fitting, and a lever adapted for mounting slidably and rockably on the tank and connected for rocking and shifting actuation to the actuating member.

2. A flush tank valve-operating mechanism including, in combination, a fitting adapted for tudinally extending closed-end slot intermediate its ends and having working engagement at said slot with the fulcrum-pin, and a rocker-arm fixed upon the crank and pivotally connected to the lever for simultaneously rocking and longitudinally shifting the lever with respect to the fulcrum-pin.

4. A flush tank valve-operating mechanism including, in combination, a fitting adapted for mounting upon a wall of the tank, a rigid laterally extending bracket-arm on the fitting, a crank rotatably mounted in and extending through the fitting, a fulcrum-pin mounted on the bracket-arm, a valve-actuating lever having a longitudinally extending closed-end slot intermediate its ends and having working engagement at said slot with the fulcrum-pin, a rockerarm fixed upon the crank and pivotally connected to the lever for simultaneously rocking and longitudinally shifting the lever with respect to the fulcrum-pin, and stop means on the fitting for limiting the movement of the rockerarm.

BElJJAMlll O. GRAHAM. 

